This is a blog I've started to help me deal with the diagnosis of having gastroparesis. It was suggested to me that a blog/diary might help me feel better by venting my frustrations and struggles. Also, I hope I can help others who may have the same thing through my own experiences.
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Monday, February 17, 2014

How to Pass Time in a Hospital

So, I have been thinking about this a lot lately, how do people spend their time during long hospital stays? I was hospitalized last year for eight days straight and I thought I was going to go crazy. I probably would have without my laptop!

Therefore, I am going to help you come up with ideas to pass time in a hospital. If you have more suggestions than I was able to think of, please comment and post them so that I can update this list. I want to make sure our members have suggestions. Also, if you can think of things to do in a pediatric hospital, let me know. But, for now, this is the list for the adults who are hospitalized.

"Staying busy can be strong medicine for someone facing a long or extended hospital stay. Here are some ideas to keep boredom at bay. Use them for yourself or suggest them to someone in need. These tips also work well for someone recovering at home.

Take an online class. Have you ever wanted to learn how to scrapbook or speak fluent Italian? Now’s your chance. The Internet has plenty of online resources. Here are a couple to get you started:

Learn to play an instrument. The therapeutic effects of music have long been established. Depending on your mobility and situation, strumming a guitar or even simply picking up a harmonica can both soothe and distract [side note: this may not be the best thing to do at a hospital around a lot of sick people trying to rest]

Play board games or cards. A heated game of good old-fashioned Monopoly or Scrabble can take everyone’s mind off things for a few hours. And a deck of cards can be enjoyed together or solo (hellooooo, Solitaire).

Start a website journal. CarePages.com (that’s us) makes it easy to create a free website to share your journey, post photos and stay in touch with everyone. Create a website in minutes. [I use www.blogger.com]

Write letters. There’s nothing quite like getting a hand-written letter in the mail. While email and texting are instant, the flavor and fragrance of a real letter can be priceless (not to mention the anticipation of letter opening). Now that you’ve got some time, why not put pen to paper? Don’t forget to say “write back.”

Load up on brain food. Sudoku and crossword puzzles can be found everywhere these days. And studies show brain exercisers can sharpen mental acuity and even ward off age-related illnesses such as Alzheimer’s.

Watch movies. If hospital cable doesn’t tantalize you, create your own entertainment by downloading and watching movies on a laptop or iPod. Portable DVD players do the trick, as well.

Decorate your hospital room. Many hospitals have “Art-Cart” programs that provide a rotating art collection from which patients can choose for their rooms. Inquire at your facility or help get a new program started. [I have done this during Easter and my nurses loved it]"

Here are the thoughts that I've gotten from members or thought of myself, without reading this list. I apologize for duplicates:

1. Make friends with other patients
2. Make phone calls and talk to friends
3. Play around on the Internet
4. Read the news
5. Read books
6. Do a crossword puzzle
7. Play board games
8. Play card games (like solitaire)
9. Play video games on your laptop
10. Have friends and family visit for a distraction
11. Bring your own clothes from home to change into because gowns are awful
12. Play games on an IPAD
13. Read your Kindle/Nook/etc
14. Walk around the hospital and get some exercise
15. Watch TV (but it always seems like nothing is ever on)
16. Connect with friends through Facebook/Social Media
17. Text your friends
18. Sleep through your hospital visit
19. Watch Netflix
20. Watch movies on Laptop
21. Decorate your hospital room
22. Listen to Music (with headphones, of course)
23. Make your own Youtube videos about your illness
24. Make and write your own blog about your experience in the hospital for others
25. Write reviews for the hospital nurses, doctors, and staff online
26. Talk to the x-ray tech and ask what’s the weirdest thing they’ve ever seen
27. Write stories, long or short
28. Write poetry
29. Play video games on your Nintendo 3DS
30. Skype with loved ones who can’t see you at the hospital
31. Complete a puzzle
32. Learn to knit

If you can think of anything I might have missed, please comment with a suggestion. I hope this will give you enough ideas to stay busy the next time you are hospitalized. I know that I will be loading up a to go bag!